Leaping Bass

[Ron Kruger]

Here's a shot I got last summer of a big bass leaping. What do you all think?

[Grandpaw]

Both the fish and the picture are keepers, Jeff

[bindows]

That's a very unique point of view. Were you on a boat?

[Hexnut]

Awesome. Is that a Hula Popper?

[Ron Kruger]

That's a Jitterbug, Hex. And I was wading in the water to get this shot.

[Kalen]

awesome! gotz to love me some kentucky fishin ;)

[Frog]

Sell that one to Outdoor Life or Field and Stream.....whichever one bids the highest.
I used to dream of catching a bass like that....I even have a jitterbug.

[Ron Kruger]

Catch this one, Frog. He's just about to swallow your Jitterbug.

[Nate Volk]

I don't know if I have ever seen a wildlife photo shot from that perspective before.

There are hundreds of hunters and fishermen out there who would love to have "in action" perspective photos with them and their prey.

You'd almost have to have a photographer with you special just to make it happen. But it is worth it for shots this good.

[Ron Kruger]

Thanks. To get shots like this is a bit involved, complicated and demands the right conditions. There's some tricks to it, and only a handful of photographers around the nation know them. I learned the leaping bass techniques from the guy who perfected it years ago. He is consider the top outdoor photographer in the nation. He's an old friend of mine named Soc Clay, and I expanded, or altered, the basic principles of the leaping bass shots he shared with me years ago to get the attacking scenes. I take credit for perfecting this technique. The shot I posted was one of my first attempts at it last summer. There's actually something wrong with the shot I posted and I have better ones I'm submitting for publication.

[GiGi]

Wow... That's really neat... it makes you do a double take!

[Frog]

Only thing I can see that might be considered wrong is that its not sharp but who cares in these circumstances.

[Dylan8i]

Both these are very nice shots. great timing on them, even if you have a special technique.

[OldClicker]

"There's actually something wrong with the shot..."

No wake behind the bait? - TF

[Ron Kruger]

Yes, a lack of water movement is part of it. But there are other things as well. In fact, I expect to really perfect this bass-attack technique this spring, using a bigger fish and a smaller lure. But the thing that bothers me most about this particular shot, no one has noticed.

[Hexnut]

The fisher-woman is missing feet?

[Dylan8i]

pole isn't bent either.

[Ron Kruger]

My problem is not with the leaping bass shot, but the bass attacking surface shot. Maybe it just isn't noticable to anyone who doesn't already know it is there.

[Greg McCary]

That's a great shot. The only things that look a bit fake to me is the lady doesn't look like she is struggling to bring it in. Also getting the fishes eye in the shot would help a lot. But you certainly are on to something that if perfected could really earn you some money. Very good shot.

[Frog]

No tail on the jitterbug?

[Ron Kruger]

You're probably thinking of a Hula Popper, Frog. A Jitterbug doesn't have a tail.
I'm beginning to think I don't really have a problem with this shot, since no one else seems to be able to spot it.

[OldClicker]

Now I'm just guessing, but

- Lot of purple in and around the mouth. Could be normal.
- No hooks on the bait. Could be hanging underneath and I wouldn't expect you to have hooks on a bait used only for photos.
- The line is slack.
- If it were moving I would expect the fish to hit it more from the head end trying to swallow it head first.

Am I getting close?

TF

[Ron Kruger]

Thanks, Clicker. I'm finding this helpful. Some of the things I intend to improve about this technique is the slack line and lack of water disturbance. I have that figured out.
The Jitterbug has hooks hanging under it, they're just not showing from this angle. The colors are true, and bass always attack from the rear (so the pray won't see them coming), and slightly from the side (so they can see it with their monocular vision).

[Yoyo Szeto]

Wow! What a catch!
yoyo

[retroactiv]

This is an amazing photo like others said this is mag quality.